JESSICA PATE (she/her)
I was initially drawn to yoga as a replacement for a physical practice after swimming competitively for over 10 years. However, after stepping out of my first class, it was not my body that underwent the most distinct transformation, but rather a shift in the sensitivity of my consciousness. Yoga provided me with a quiet, simple clarity, revealing a place within me where it felt like I had returned home. While I did not quite understand the “how” or “why” of that journey, I knew that I wanted to continue to explore.
Prior to, and in the early days of discovering yoga, I was deeply invested in the study of formal anatomy, biomechanics, and physiology. I earned two Masters of Science degrees in Exercise Physiology and Human Physiology, as well as a Bachelors degree in Biochemistry and Sports Medicine. I’ve conducted research on the physiology of the respiratory, muscular, and cardiovascular systems, as well as adaptations that occur during exercise, and the physiological responses to yoga.
As I was accustomed to being a student of the body, asana (the postures) and pranayama (breath practice) were the first elements of yoga that captured my attention… and they continue to be a place of never ending curiosity for me. I have explored the movement of form and breath through many different lenses including Iyengar yoga, slow flow, yin yoga, Feldenkrais, myofascial release, Physical Therapy, functional movement conditioning, as well as countless others.
I am fascinated by movement and find constant inspiration through reading the current literature on biomechanics, physiology, and neurology. I love to integrate what I have learned through teaching yoga, offering Movement & Postural Therapy sessions, and leading webinars and seminars on different topics in the health and wellness field. Aside from my practice and study, I draw inspiration from hiking in the mountains, swimming, dancing, cooking, and playing with my dogs and cat.
But what continues to remain the most fascinating to me is that the result of my study of movement and form is not physical, but rather an opportunity to catch a glimpse of that which is always present, resting in stillness, and without form. I am grateful for the variety of lenses my teachers have provided me to observe patterns in the body and mind. It is through dedicated study of those patterns that I ultimately am able to recognize that those patterns are separate from that which is constant and who I truly am.
What You Can Expect From My Classes
My classes draw on my studies and are a reflection of how I approach my practice: deliberate, but hopefully not too serious. I believe yoga can be a framework to discover freedom in the body, mind, and spirit when we practice with both devotion and curiosity.
I tend to explore postures and breath work through a variety of lenses to shed light on our patterns and habits. I believe that in learning to pay attention to the different languages of the body, we can access an intuitive knowledge to see ourselves, and our inherent truths, more clearly. With this fresh, open sense of wonder, we can begin to find freedom in a more relaxed wakefulness.
http://www.jessicapate.com/